Report Summary
This report provides members of the Complaints & Conduct Committee with an overview of the HMICS Assurance Review of Vetting – Improvement Plan.
Meeting
The publication discussed was referenced in the meeting below
Complaints & Conduct Committee - 6 June 2024
Date : 06 June 2024
Location : Online
Background
On 03 October 2023, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) published a report following a review of Police Scotland’s vetting policy and procedures.
The aim of the review was to assure the quality of vetting and renewals and whether these effectively identified potential misconduct, risk or vulnerability. With recent high-profile cases of police officers abusing their positions vetting, is an integral part of the process to identify individuals who are unsuitable to work within policing. The review focussed on Recruitment and Management vetting of officers and staff either being recruited by or those already working within Police Scotland.
HMICS considered the history of vetting in Scotland in the years prior to the creation of Police Scotland in 2013. It reviewed vetting case files of officers and staff over a 4-year period between 2019 and 2022 as well as examining guidance and policy which currently provide the basis for vetting in Police Scotland.
